By Alex A. Bah
The Prevention Department of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has presented the Compliance and Monitoring Report on the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE).
The Report, which seeks to enhance transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Free and Quality Education Programme, was presented to the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education Dr. David Moinina Sengeh on Thursday 17th December, 2020, at the Ministry’s New England Ville office in Freetown.
Giving an overview of the Report, the Director of Prevention Department, ACC, Rashid Babar Turay, said the Report looks into the use and management of fuel and fees subsidy at the Ministry.
He said the Report provides findings and proffers recommendations that should be implemented to enhance transparency and efficiency in the use of fuel and fees subsidy. He encouraged the Ministry to incorporate the recommendations of the validated Report.
Monitoring and Compliance Specialist, ACC, Ibrahim Sorie Kamara-Kay, presented the key findings of the Report, stating that a total of 41 junior and senior secondary schools from 6 Districts across the country were covered.
The Director of Prevention Department, ACC, Rashid Babar Turay (right) handing over the Report to the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education Dr. David Moinina Sengeh.
He highlighted the problem of inconsistencies in fees subsidy in schools, stating that some schools were under-subsidized whilst others were over-subsidized. He also singled out the delay in the payment of the emoluments of teachers, among many other significant findings. He accordingly noted recommendations that the Ministry should follow up, to arrest these anomalies.
Head of Policy and Ethics Unit, ACC, Joseph Kangaju, emphasized on the rationale that compelled the review, part of which was due to the “flagrant misuse of resources” by different bodies under the education sector. He said the monitoring exercise was particularly conducted to enhance the efficiency of the Free and Quality Education programme, which is the flagship programme of the Government.
Whilst receiving the Report, the Minister of MBSSE, Dr David Moinina Sengeh, commended the ACC for the brilliant monitoring exercise of the Free Quality Education programme. He expressed his strong desire to see the full implementation of the recommendation in order to maximize the desired change.
He announced that part of the Report has been acted on, but further assured the Commission that the Ministry will ensure the full implementation of all the recommendations before the three months deadline stipulated by the ACC.
